Isn't that what politics is all about? Also, Revenge Is God's Will (see my article on the Joy of Revenge, the Politics of Religious Excess, which I posted a few months ago here on RK---- it's just that the House Republicans apparently couldn't wait for the Rapture, they just jump-started God.

Who "replaced" Brian on these Committees? I assume it had to be a Democrat to neet the quotas.

blog has more.

Del. Ward L. Armstrong (D-Henry), House minority leader, was left on Courts of Justice and taken off General Laws and Counties, Cities and Towns. Del. Brian J. Moran (D-Alexandria), House Democratic caucus chairman, was left on Courts of Justice but taken off Transportation and Health, Welfare and Institutions.

Armstrong and Moran were both put on Finance, where they will have to vote on taxes. Moran was also put on Militia, Police and Public Safety (the committee that votes on gun issues) and Counties, Cities and Towns (the committee that votes on zoning issues.) There are some tough votes ahead for Moran, who is considering running for governor in 2009.

Note to Gov. Kaine:  So much for the "bipartisan" approach with Howell and Company!

Trying to put Dems on the record with things they think will play a role in 09?

That's fine, if they want to be that way, but we should consider that in how we treat them. Golden Rule and all, you know? :)

Dems definitely need to keep this one in mind in the future. We can't be idealists and think that just because the other side says they want to work in a bipartisan and fair fashion that they actually will. I hate seeing things like this happen, but they seem to fairly frequently.

Boy, the rethugs are hanging by a thread and they have the hate card sowed up.

Doesn't the Democratic Caucus get to say what members they'd like to have on particular committees?  Or is the GOP majority able to overrule them?  That's crappy.  I doubt very much if the GOP would tolerate Democrats telling them how to organize their membership on committees.

That's alright, when we're in the majority again, I'm sure the Virginia Democrats will conduct themselves with more honor and class than these guys.

The Speaker chooses committee assignments for every Delegate.    Party leaders have no say in what committee their members are appointed to.  That's why Johnny Joannou is always on budget conference committees...

As for Virginia Democrats, they had the majority for quite a while and conducted themselves in the same manner.  Maybe after some time in the minority they'll see fit to operate differently.  Or, they'll decide that backbenching their opponent's best players, forcing them to take hard votes, and assigning rising stars to useless committees is still politically expedient.

power is a function of House rules, right?  As in there's not some constitutional provision that vests that power in the Speaker?

I'm not sure.

Are there any opportunities for the Democratic controlled Senate to payback this outrageous behavior by the House?  I know they should be above such childish tactics - but now is a good time to go toe-to-toe.  The only thing those Republicans are going to understand is a good spanking.

Obama will get anything done with his approach?  

PS - don't forget the President of the US Chamber of Commerce has declared war on the middle class.

How's this headline grab ya
Chamber of Commerce vows to punish anti-business candidates
http://www.latimes.com/enterta...

bi-partisanship, hope, change, ain't gonna happen.

VA Republicans are more interested in "get-back" then they are in ensuring experienced and experts are making decisions and laws for the commonwealth.

they insist on holding committee meetings in secret?  Republicans are the antithesis of good government and the common good.

Check this out from our ol' friend the supposed "moderate" Frank Wolf.

It should be a noble service to the state or country, but a lot of politicians do these kind of things and forget why the hell people voted them into office. I am glad to know that a lot of elected officials do take the higher road, but it's those that take the low road that are turning people off--which makes people not care, and not vote.

involved. For instance, on this slimy maneuver, people should contact Bill Howell and let him know what they think.

he cares?

He won't need no steenkin' committee assignments.

to worry. WHAT GOES AROUND COMES AROUND. The rethugs will get theirs.  Moran is a big boy and can take care of himself.
MAYBE, just maybe this will piss off enough dems to make them stand up and fight.
Game on as they say.

Having had experience with the Virginia General Assembly for more than thirty years, I can say with confidence that this is the pettiest and most foolish action taken by a Speaker of the House in at least three decades.

The Speakers I've known -- John Warren Cooke, A.L. Philpott, Tom Moss and Vance Wilkins (3 D's and an R) -- each had an admirable degree of respect for the governing process and the House as an institution.

Speaker Howell obviously lacks any such respect and must be completely lacking in good sense as well.  It is apparent from these actions that Howell believes only in the primacy of the most partisan and destructive kind of politics.  He obviously is without any sense of civic responsibility and must completely lack any desire to promulgate sound public policy for the benefit of all of the citizens of the Commonwealth.

It is no wonder that the Republican Party of Virginia has fallen to such a pitiful nadir of support and success.  Howell's actions, in the purest traditions of the governing styles of Jim Gilmore and Tom DeLay will help dig what's left of the Virginia GOP into an even deeper hole.

Of course, Gilmore and DeLay found that there was a reckoning for their irresponsible and radical methods.  If I were Mr. Howell, I wouldn't move any heavy furniture into the Speaker's office.

In the words of an old newspaper reporter, Howell isn't doing things in "the Virginia way."  Virginians won't be shy about letting him know it.